Concealed latching mechanism

ABSTRACT

A self-operating concealed latching mechanism for releasably securing separate portions of a container, such as luggage and the like, together, having a concealed latching rod and catches so constructed as to provide an intermediate latched position that facilitates complete closing and locking of the separate portions together and which prevents accidental separation thereof.

United States Patent [1 1 Wickenberg 1 Feb. 13, 1973 [54] CONCEALEDLATCHING MECHANISM [76] Inventor: Chester H. Wickenberg, 164 DivisionStreet, Elgin, 111. 60120 22 Filed: April 29, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 138,484

, [52] US. Cl ..292/218, 292/DIG. 48

[51] Int. Cl. ..H0lr 3/14 [58] Field of Search ..292/259, 120, 218, DIG.5, 292/DIG. 48, D10. 50

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Tierney ..292/28 Poeter..292/D1G. 50

9/1916 Fuller .292/DlG.50 4/1923 Fate ..292/259X Primary ExaminerRichardE. Moore An0rneyEdward C. Threedy [5 7] ABSTRACT A self-operatingconcealed latching mechanism for releasably securing separate portionsof a container, such as luggage and the like, together, having aconcealed latching rod and catches so constructed as to provide anintermediate latched position that facilitates complete closing andlocking of the separate portions together and which prevents accidentalseparation thereof.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures CONCEALED LATCHING MECHANISM SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION A latching mechanism for releasably securing separated edgeportions of a container, such as luggage, together, including aconcealed biased latching rod which in its restrained assembled state isbiased so as to function as a torsion member inherently seeking arelieved position as it is caused to rotatably engage catches disposedin its path and which cooperate therewith to latch the edge portionstogether.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The most convenient mode of illustrating theinvention is depicted in the accompanying drawings showing the preferredembodiment of such invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a piece of luggage in its open conditionand which includes the concealed latching mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the closed luggage and showing in afragmentary broken-away portion a part of the latching mechanism in itsoperative position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 3-3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing certain parts ofthe latching mechanism in intermediate locking position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the parts of thelatching mechanism in completely locked position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the latching rod in its unassembledstate;

FIGS. 7A, B, C and D schematically show the cooperation and operablemotion between the latching mechanism of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 8-8 ofFIG. 2.

To conveniently illustrate a use of the self-latching mechanism of thisinvention, there is shown in FIG. 1 a piece of luggage 10 including ahollow base portion 11 and a complementary cover 12. Both the baseportion 11 and cover 12 provide confronting separable edge portions 13and 14, respectively,'which are encased in pre-formed escutcheon plates15 and 16, respectively.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 8, the escutcheon plate 15 issubstantially I'l-shaped in cross section and provides a lowercompartment 17 which receives the edge 13 of the base 11. An uppercompartment 18 is normally open and adapted to receive a dependingprojection 19 formed as a part of the depending flange 20 of the upperescutcheon plate 16. The upper escutcheon plate 16 provides a recess 21which receives the corresponding edge 14 of the cover 12.

The depending flange 20 of the upper escutcheon plate 16 approximatelyat a mid-line through its front wall provides an opening 22 throughwhich projects the latch finger 23 which carries the lock plateThroughout the longitudinal length of the depending flange 20 of theescutcheon plate 16, there is provided These clip members are providedin any suitable number to either side of the center opening 22 formed inthe depending flange 20 of the escutcheon plate 16 and serve the purposeof rotatably retaining a latching rod 30 within the recess 24 formed inthe rear surface of the flange 20.

As shown in FIG. 6, the latching rod 30 is of an elongated circularconfiguration which is bowed out of its normal longitudinal length sothat when it is held within the recess 24 of the flange 20 by theretaining clips 29, it will assume a biased condition and thus act as atorsion member in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Each of the free ends 31 of the latching rod 30 are preformed so as toprovide a substantially elliptical shaped body 32 having an enlargedhead portion 33 which terminates into a latch shoulder 34. Intermediatethe ends 31 and fixedly connected to the rod 30 is a lock plate 30'.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, I show mounted on the lower escutcheon plate15 a clasp member 35 which provides at one end a bendable clip 36 andwhich has struck from its medial portion an oppositely bendable clip 37,with both the clips 36 and 37 being in contact with the inner oppositelyextending legs 38 and 39 of the I-I-shaped escutcheon plate 15.

The clasp member 35 provides an upstanding hook shaped catch 40 which isadapted to cooperate with the formed ends 31 of the latching rod 30 tolatch and lock the confronting edges of the base 11 and cover 12together in a closed relationship such as shown in FIG. 2. 7 When thecover 12 is desired to be closed upon the base 11, it is so moved thatthe confronting edges 13 and 14 of such parts will align themselves withthe depending projection 19, seeking to be received in the uppercompartment 18 of the lower escutcheon plate 15. The latching rod30 willbe in condition such that its preformed ends 31will have their latchshoulder 34 disposed to be engaged by the hook-shaped catch 40, and withthe rod 30 having sufficient spring tension so as to pass' around thefree end of the catch 40 from the condition shown in FIG. 7A, to thatshown in FIG. 78. At this stage of the operation the latching rod 30 hasnot been caused to rotate but has merely been caused to seek its biasedposition, which is in the direction shown by the full arrows in FIGS. 7Aand 7B. The arrangement of the ends 31 of the rod 30 and the hookshapedcatch 40, provides an intermediate latch position. When the parts are inthe relation shown in FIG. 7B, the suitcase cover 12 cannot be openedbut is retained in its intermediate latched condition by the head 33 ofthe end 31 of the rod 30 being biased beneath the hook-shaped catch 40.

To complete the closure, the rod 30 is caused to be rotated about itslongitudinal axis by forceable movement of the lock plate 30' from theposition shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2. This rotatablemovement of the rod 30 will cause the ends 31 thereof to be rotated intothe position shown in FIG. 7C, wherein the free end of the hook-shapedcatch 40 is caused to be disposed behind the shoulder 34. The lock plate30' can now be locked to the keeper plate 41 and secured thereto throughthe use of a key or combination type lock.

When the luggage is to be opened, the rod 30 will be caused to rotate inan opposite direction from that necessary to lock it, through themanipulation of the lock plate 30'. By this movement the rotation of therod 30 in the direction of the line arrow shown in FIG. 7D, will causethe latching rod 30 to be moved over a mid center line parallel to itslongitudinal axis, to overcome the torsion effect of its biasedcondition and will assume an intermediate open position where the freeend of the hook-shaped catch 40 is arrested against the shoulder 34 ofthe free end 31 of the rod 30, as shown in H6. 7D. Further rotation ofthe rod 30 into its position as shown in FIG. 7A, will complete theunlatching of such parts and permit the cover 12 to be raised.

From the foregoing l have described a complete latching mechanism whichaffords an intermediate latching position during the closing of theseparable parts and which is simple in operation and economical tomanufacture. It should also be noted that as the locking mechanism iscompletely concealed and the only movable part which is exposed is thelock plate 30', a safety feature is accomplished by having such lockplate 30 positioned beneath the handle 42 of the luggage piece so thatif it were to be accidentally moved it would become immediately apparentto the person carrying or picking up the luggage piece.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. A concealed latching mechanism for releasably securing together inedgewise relation separable edges of a container such as luggage and thelike, wherein the improvement comprises a. an elongated latch memberbiased out of its normal longitudinal plane and carried within one ofthe edges of the container to be secured together,

b. means connecting said latch member in its longitudinal biasedcondition within said one edge of the container,

0. means carried by said latch member for axially rotating said memberwithin said one edge of the container,

d. catch means provided by the other edge of the container in the pathof movement of the ends of said latch member when the edges are moved toa juxta-edgewise position with respect to each other,

e. and means on the ends of said latch member movable into contact withsaid catch means for latchably engaging said catch means and, upon axialrotation of said latch member by said latch member rotating means, forlocking said latch member to said catch means and the separable edgestogether.

2. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein saidlatch means comprises an elongated rod bowed out of its normallongitudinal length and connected with said one edge in a biasedrestrained condition so as to rotate its ends through an arcuate pathwhen it is axially pivoted.

mechanism as defined by 3. A concealed latching claim 1 wherein saidcatch means comprise a plurality of hook-shaped members projecting in adirection transversely to said latch means and having a free end of thehook-shaped portion thereof disposed in the path of said latch meanswhen said separated edges are moved into a juxtaposed position withrespect to each other.

4. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 2 wherein saidcatch means comprise hookshaped members projecting in a directiontransversely to the longitudinal length of said elongated rod and havinga free end of the hook-shaped portion thereof disposed 'in the path ofsaid latch means when said separated edges are moved into juxtaposedposition with respect to each other.

5. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein themeans on the ends of said latch means comprises a pre-shaped memberhaving a substantially elliptical shaped body including an enlarged headportion and restraining shoulder.

6. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 4 wherein themeans on the ends of said latch means comprises a pre-shaped memberhaving a substantially elliptical shaped body including an enlarged headportion and restraining shoulder. 4

1. A concealed latching mechanism for releasably securing together inedgewise relation separable edges of a container such as luggage and thelike, wherein the improvement comprises a. an elongated latch memberbiased out of its normal longitudinal plane and carried within one ofthe edges of the container to be secured together, b. means connectingsaid latch member in its longitudinal biased condition within said oneedge of the container, c. means carried by said latch member for axiallyrotating said member within said one edge of the container, d. catchmeans provided by the other edge of the container in the path ofmovement of the ends of said latch member when the edges are moved to ajuxta-edgewise position with respect to each other, e. and means on theends of said latch member movable into contact with said catch means forlatchably engaging said catch means and, upon axial rotation of saidlatch member by said latch member rotating means, for locking said latchmember to said catch means and the separable edges together.
 1. Aconcealed latching mechanism for releasably securing together inedgewise relation separable edges of a container such as luggage and thelike, wherein the improvement comprises a. an elongated latch memberbiased out of its normal longitudinal plane and carried within one ofthe edges of the container to be secured together, b. means connectingsaid latch member in its longitudinal biased condition within said oneedge of the container, c. means carried by said latch member for axiallyrotating said member within said one edge of the container, d. catchmeans provided by the other edge of the container in the path ofmovement of the ends of said latch member when the edges are moved to ajuxta-edgewise position with respect to each other, e. and means on theends of said latch member movable into contact with said catch means forlatchably engaging said catch means and, upon axial rotation of saidlatch member by said latch member rotating means, for locking said latchmember to said catch means and the separable edges together.
 2. Aconcealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said latchmeans comprises an elongated rod bowed out of its normal longitudinallength and connected with said one edge in a biased restrained conditionso as to rotate its ends through an arcuate path when it is axiallypivoted.
 3. A concealed latching mechanism as defined by claim 1 whereinsaid catch means comprise a plurality of hook-shaped members projectingin a direction transversely to said latch means and having a free end ofthe hook-shaped portion thereof disposed in the path of said latch meanswhen said separated edges are moved into a juxtaposed position withrespect to each other.
 4. A concealed latching mechanism as defined byclaim 2 wherein said catch means comprise hook-shaped members projectingin a direction transversely to the longitudinal length of said elongatedrod and having a free end of the hook-shaped portion thereof disposed inthe path of said latch means when said separated edges are moved intojuxtaposed position with respect to each other.
 5. A concealed latchingmechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein the means on the ends of saidlatch means comprises a pre-shaped member having a substantiallyelliptical shaped body including an enlarged head portion andrestraining shoulder.